12th Annual Fit Pets for Rescues Contest
The 12th Annual Fit Pets for Rescues Ideal Weight Contest is being held virtually for the first time ever using the Healthy Pet Connect (HPC) telemonitoring platform. The 7 week fundraiser and contest will kick off at 1:00pm on March 30th, 2024 with 4 divisions for cats, 3 for dogs, prizes, and monetary donations for rescues. Now with the HPC telemonitoring platform and MyBalto foundation handling donations, any pet, clinic and rescue anywhere can participate!
The Fit Pets for Rescues Contest has raised over $25,000 for rescues in its 11 year history in Madison, WI. With its new partnerships with Healthy Pet Connect and MyBalto, we now have the ability to reach any pet or vet clinic. Pets can get fitter and pet rescues and foundations anywhere can receive much needed funds. Additionally veterinary clinics can follow HPC’s platform to support pet parents in their pet’s weight loss journey!
A wonderful success story is that of Spudgie, an 8.5 year old black cat brought into the West Towne Veterinary Center weighing nearly 40 pounds. He was rescued from a household where one of the primary caregivers had cancer and was no longer able to adequately attend to his needs. Physical examination revealed a morbidly obese cat who was alert and very friendly but unable to groom himself or walk more than a few feet. Cats of this weight are at serious risk of serious complications. They put Spudgie on a special heavily monitored diet and exercise regiment, entering all food & body weights into the Healthy Pet Connect (HPC) app at the end of every day. After 18 months of care, Spudgie is a happy and mobile cat at a healthy weight of 12 pounds.
The way the contest works is vet clinics do pet assessments on patients before the contest starts. They can prescribe Rx food or perform blood work as needed. After the contest kickoff at noon on March 30th, 2024 they then monitor the rate of loss remotely using the Healthy Pet Connect platform which provides alerts & reminders to both pet parent & vet. Participating clinics & rescues are encouraged to do their own kickoff events, weigh-ins and donation matches. There are no fees for rescues or clinics, but clinics must have 3 participants who purchase a discounted HPC 2 month contest subscription so a free custom clinic dashboard can be built. Clinics can win prizes such as smart scales and pet wearables for the most participants and most rescue donations, among other categories.
The 7 contest divisions are: "Biggest 4-Pawed Losers" (dogs and cats 20% or more over ideal weight), "Iron Dogs” and “Iron Cats” (5% to 20% over ideal) and “Cat Pride & Dog Pack Challenges” (3 or more pets) and this year a special new feline category with world famous Patches in Virginia joining Biggie from Canada (both started with Healthy Pet Connect at over 40 poundss!) and Harley in Madison in the “Colossal Cat Club”.
This fundraiser is NOT just for only severely overweight pets, instead is designed for any pet owner that wants their pet to be more fit or simply help rescues!
This event is supported by MyBalto. The myBalto Foundation is dedicated to alleviating the financial stress endured by pet owners while reducing the growing compassion fatigue experienced by veterinarians. myBalto's purpose is to make pet care more affordable and to improve the lives of pets, owners, and veterinarians.
